What is Fat?

Answer:
Fat is a term that covers a wide range of substances.

Chemically, fats are made up of glycerol and fatty acids. Oils are fats that are liquid at room temperature and do not mix well with water (I.e., canola oil, olive oil.) In comparison, fats that are solid at room temperature (I.e., butter or lard) are simply called fats. Another term, lipids, is used of either solid or liquid and can often refer to the fats found in the bloodstream (I.e., a blood-lipid profile.)

Fat is a vital diet component for animal function, especially humans. The type of fats found in food humans consume are divided into unsaturated (including monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, trans and omega fatty acids) and saturated (including interestified fat.) Fats are necessary for health in humans, although trans fats are considered unhealthy because of their commercial processing. Studies on saturated fat show conflicting results on the amount that is healthy, but many American dietary guidelines recommend limiting it.

Fat that is eaten does not necessarily translate to fat on the body of an animal, including humans. The chemical components of the fat are used as necessary in the body, and excess energy from any food element is stored as fat on the body. Fat on the body is better termed “adipose tissue” and can be divided into two categories: visceral and subcutaneous.

Visceral fat is the fat that surrounds vital organs, some amount of which is necessary to cushion and protect these organs. Visceral fat has also been shown to be hormonally active tissue. Subcutaneous fat is located just below the skin and is the adipose tissue many people think of when they refer to fat on their body. Fat in the body stores energy for times when calories from food are not readily available and can help with other bodily processes, including the dilution of harmful chemicals introduced into the body.